五大妙招巧获清洁能源

译/游琼琼 审订/鄢宏福

五大妙招巧获清洁能源

译/游琼琼 审订/鄢宏福

5 Sneaky Ways to Harness Clean Energy

By now， we’re all familiar with the mainstays of renewable energy. They’re the solar panel arrays and massive turbine systems that span great lengths， collecting energy from the sun， wind and water and churning out megawatts of energy. It’s these behemoths that we point to as bellwethers of a future where the world no longer depends on fossil fuels.

[2] But recently， some researchers have started to tinker with more subtle ways to harvest energy. They’re mostly unconventional ideas， such as layering tiny and transparent solar cells onto a phone’s touchscreen or a sound conversion technology that allows it to recharge simply by talking into it.

[3] Though these out-of-box approaches1out-of-box approach创造性方法。don’t receive nearly as much attention as some of the more elaborate industrial-scale projects， they may well turn out to be game-changers2game-changer改变游戏规则的人，即创新的人。in their own right. As such， here are instances where eeking out even a modest amount of energy may make a real difference:

1. Infrastructure power

[4] Hydroelectric power came about as a way to take advantage of the enormous fl ow of energy produced from reservoirs. However， the same principle can also work wherever there’s a strong and steady stream of water， whether it be dams or sewage pipes.

[5] Catching on to this fact， the city of Portland is testing a power-generating water turbine system specially suited for municipal drainage systems.The technology， developed by local start-up LucidEnergy， is projected to contribute up to 1，100 megawatts of electricity annually， enough to power approximately 150 homes.

[6] Roadways are also hotspots for untapped energy. In 2011， a research team were able to harvest energy from the vibrations produced by moving cars by coating a section of the road surface along a Dutch highway with energyabsorbing piezoelectric materials.During the course of three months， they found that， on average， net electrical output was suf fi cient to run the motion sensors on a traf fi c light.

2. Ambient energy

[7] To ensure coverage over a given area， WiFi hubs blast signals in all directions. Satellite transmission is somewhat similar， scattering signals across a wide region. As a result， a lot of energy is wasted.

[8] But there are ways to recover some of these lost signals. Researchers at Duke University have converted them into electricity. Employing a special microwave-scavenging metamaterial，they were able to build a device capable of generating up to 7.3 volts. The goal is to eventually incorporate the technology into cell phones， which in many instances can use a little extra juice.

[9] While the idea has been kicked around for some time， the challenge has been fi guring out how to implement it on a consumer level. RCA3Radio Corporation of America的简称，美国无线电公司。， an electronics brand， caused a bit of stir back in 2010， when representatives unveiled an early prototype of a USB dongle they claimed can give laptops a power boost by trapping stray WiFi signals and storing them as converted energy in an internal battery. However，the Airnergy charger4Airnergy charger无线信号充电器。was never released.

3. Body energy

[10] Every person is， in some respect，a walking power plant. Even at rest， the human body generates as much energy as a 100 watt light bulb. Much of this dissipates in the form of heat， though a coat with good insulation properties can momentarily trap enough of it for us to stay comfortably warm at times when temperatures are unbearably cold.

[11] With that line of thinking，Jernhusen， a Swedish real estate firm，had an ambitious proposal. In 2008， the group outlined a plan to construct an office building in Stockholm equipped with a unique heating system that so happened to be powered by the excess body heat of 250，000 some commuters that pass though the nearby central train station each day.

[12] The system， in operation today，is made possible through a series of heat exchangers situated inside the train station’s ventilation system. This is where body heat is converted into hot water and piped in to warm the building. In total， costs are reduced by about 25 percent compared to regular heating systems. And closer to home，the Mall of America in Minneapolis recycles body heat from shoppers to more better regulate the indoor climate.

[13] On a smaller scale， scientists are looking into ways to make good use of energy generated by the body’s internal machinations. Engineers in the United States and China have collaborated on a technology that uses the mechanical energy of a beating heart to pump power to pacemakers. In Boston， a team at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is developing a tiny chip that pulls in energy from natural processes that take place within the ear canal as a way to extend the long-term implantation of hearing aids.

4. Kinetic energy

[14] In motion， the human body ramps up to where it’s a sort of de facto energy factory. Case-in-point is the Cadbury House gym near Bristol，England， the first in the world to be powered by nothing but the grunt and sweat of members who frequent the exercise facility.

[15] Power is supplied by a network of treadmills， stationary bikes and step climbers custom-made and sold by Technogym5泰诺健，意大利健身器材厂家。， a manufacturer of hightech training equipment. When in operation， each machine powers itself and channels surplus energy in the form of electricity. The costs for the equipment come in at about 600，000 euros ($630，000). Similar human- powered gyms can be found in Hong Kong and in the United States.

[16] Systems designed to harvest kinetic energy can also supplement power systems anywhere people take part in activities that collectively add up to lots of high-intensity workouts. In 2007， a pair of MIT students proposed using these “crowd farms” as a way to extract energy for such things as LED lights. More recently， the concept popped up as an “eco-nightclub” in London where energy is amassed using blocks made of piezoelectric material，positioned just beneath the dance fl oor.

5. Self-powered energy (for gadgets)

[17] While you would be hard pressed to find anyone who isn’t pining for a bit more battery life for their mobile devices， keeping pace with the rigorous demands of day-to-day commuting is a whole different story. The “range anxiety6range anxiety里程焦虑，意思是驾驶电动汽车时因担心突然没电引起的精神痛苦或忧虑。” consumers have over a vehicle’s typical per-charge rating is often mentioned as one of their most pressing concerns.

[18] And it’s a problem the industry seems to be looking at from every conceivable angle. For instance， earlier this month， Goodyear unveiled the BH03 concept tire， which feature a combination of piezoelectric materials and black textured thermoelectric patches to absorb energy from vibrations， light and heat. This in turn can be fed to the battery or sensors. But drivers shouldn’t hold their breath since the company hasn’t detailed how they plan to turn the proof-of-concept into a reality or released any cost estimates.

[19] For those getting around on foot，Pittsburgh-based startup SolePower is in the later stages of finalizing a shoe insert that charges up an external battery as the wearer walks or runs.But unlike other technologies that harvest energy from pressure-induced vibrations， the insoles don’t employ piezoelectric materials. Instead， energy is produced， converted and stored through a series of tiny “mechanical linkages and generators” in the heel，similar to how hand-cranked fl ashlights work， according to the company’s Web site.

With the insoles， the company claims that an hour of walk time provides about 2.5 hours of talk time on a smartphone. ■

时至今日，我们对主要的可再生能源已经耳熟能详——即密布的太阳能电池阵列和绵延的庞大涡轮系统，将太阳能、风能及水能转化为数兆瓦的电能。当化石燃料在未来的世界里退出历史舞台，这些庞然大物将引领能源的发展潮流。

[2]但最近一些研究人员开始捣鼓更加微妙的方法来生产能源。这些方法大多不循常规，例如，在手机触摸屏上设置微小透明的太阳能电池，或是利用声音转换技术、只需对手机说话便可为手机充电。

[3]这些天马行空的方法虽不像一些业已形成产业规模的项目一样引人瞩目，却可能凭借其自身的优势在未来领跑能源领域。因此，尽管以下方法产出的能量微乎其微，却可能带来真正意义上的改变。

1.基础设施发电

[4]水力发电利用的是水库巨大水流产生的能量。这一原理同样适用于流速强劲稳定的水体，包括堤坝及污水管。

[5]基于这一认识，美国波特兰市正在测试一套适用于城市排水管网的涡轮发电系统。该技术由当地一家新公司鲁西德能源公司开发，计划每年提供1100兆瓦的电力，可供约150户家庭使用。

[6]公路也是获取未开发能源的热点。2011年，一个研究小组在荷兰一条公路的部分路段铺设压电材料，从行经车辆产生的震动中获取能源。经过三个月的研究，该团队发现，电力净输出足以维持交通信号灯的运动传感器正常运作。

2.环境能源

[7]为覆盖某一特定领域，无线路由器向各个方向发射信号。卫星传输信号的方式与此类似，即在大范围内散播信号。这种传播方式伴随大量的能量损耗。

[8]不过，部分损失信号能够加以回收。杜克大学的研究人员已经成功将其转化为电能。研究人员借助一种特殊的微波净化超材料，制作出一种最高可产生7.3伏电压的装置。这项研究的最终目标是将该技术应用在手机上，在很多情况下，可以使手机获得一些补充电能。

[9]尽管对这种设想的讨论已经持续了一段时间，但是如何将其应用于产品之中仍然是一项挑战。美国无线电公司（RCA）曾因2010年发布了一款USB软件狗的早期原型而轰动一时。据该公司称，这款软件狗能够捕捉游离的无线网络信号，将其转化成能量储存在笔记本电脑内置电池中。不过，无线信号充电器一直未能问世。

3.人体能源

[10]从某种程度上说，每个人都是一座移动的发电站。即使休息的时候，人体产生的能量犹相当于一盏100瓦灯泡的能量。这些能量大部分以热量的形式散失，不过绝热性能良好的外套能暂时保存足够的热量，让我们在极度寒冷的环境中保持舒适的温度。

[11]顺着这个思路，瑞典房地产公司杰恩胡森推出了一项雄心勃勃的计划。2008年，该公司计划在斯德哥尔摩建造一幢装有特殊供热系统的办公大楼。这座办公大楼的供热源是每天通过附近中心火车站的25万名通勤者身体所散发的热量。

[12]这套系统现已投入使用，其关键是位于火车站通风系统内的一系列热转换器。转换器将体热转化成热能给水加热，再利用热水管网为整栋建筑供暖。总的来说，相比普通供热系统，该系统成本降低了约25%。再来看看我们的身边，美国明尼阿波利斯市的美国摩尔购物中心利用商场内顾客产生的热量，有效调节室内温度。

[13]科学家们已经开始在更细微的层面寻找方法，有效利用身体内部机制产生的能量。美国和中国的工程师已经在合作开发有关技术，利用心脏跳动产生的机械能为起搏器提供能量。波士顿麻省理工学院的研究团队正在研发一种微型芯片，通过摄取耳道里自然产生的能量，延长植入式助听器的使用寿命。

4.运动能源

[14]人体在运动时，会变成一座名副其实的能源工厂。英格兰布里斯托尔附近的吉布里之家健身馆就是一例。该馆的电力全部来自光顾健身设施的会员的喘息和汗水，这在全世界首开先例。

[15]该健身馆的电力供应来自在高科技运动器械制造商泰诺健定制的运动器械系统，包括跑步机、固定单车及登山机等。系统运作时，每个单一器械实现自我驱动的同时还可将剩余能量以电能形式输出。设备的成本约为60万欧元（63万美元）。美国和香港也有类似的人力供电健身馆。

[16]用来收集动能的系统也可以用作电力系统的补充。

不管人们在哪里活动，只要产生高强度的运动就行。2007年，麻省理工学院的两名学生建议利用这类“人群农场”为LED灯等采集能源。最近，伦敦出现“生态夜吧”这一概念，即在舞厅地板下铺设成块压电材料用以收集能量。

5.自供电能（小型装置）

[17]尽管没有人不希望自己的移动设备电池寿命更久，但要满足日常通勤的严格要求则完全是另一回事。消费者对交通工具的标准平均充电频率的“里程焦虑”常被视为最紧迫的问题之一。

[18]企业似乎在想尽一切办法解决这一问题。例如，这个月初，美国固特异轮胎公司发布了一款BH03概念轮胎，这种轮胎主体由压电材料和有黑色织纹的热电材料构成，能够吸收振动、光、热产生的能量，进而将能量输送到电池或传感器中。然而，司机们没必要焦急企盼，因为该公司尚未公布将此概念产品化成现实的具体计划，也没有公布任何成本预算。

[19]也有些公司致力于在脚上“做文章”。位于匹兹堡的创业公司索莱电力的一款鞋垫产品研发已进入后期阶段。该产品可以把走路或者跑步时产生的能量转化为电能，储存到外部的蓄电池上。与其他技术从压力产生的振动搜集能量不同，这款鞋垫并未采用压电材料。从该公司网站上我们可以得知，电能的产生、转换和储存均是通过鞋跟内一系列微小的机械装置及发电机完成，原理类似于手摇式手电筒。

该公司宣称，穿上这种鞋垫走路一小时，可供智能手机通话2.5小时。 □